Adam Walsh Papers

Collection

Identifier: AWA

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Adam Walsh Papers consist mostly of materials related to Adam Walsh's football coaching career, his political career, his induction into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 1968, his death in 1985, publications and clipping about Walsh, books inscribed to Walsh, and other correspondence, speeches, photographs, and ephemera from throughout his life.

Of particular note are the materials documenting his two years coaching the professional Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams (1945-46). The 1945 Rams won the NFL championship. The Rams material includes Walsh’s hand-drawn offensive playbooks for 1945 and 1946 and his hand-drawn defensive playbooks with defensive schemes tailored to the Rams’ specific opponents in 1945 and 1946.

Correspondence in the collection documents Walsh’s college coaching career. Materials include his original letter of appointment as the Head Coach at Santa Clara University in 1925, seven telegrams from University of Notre Dame Head Coach Knute Rockne, and a letter of recommendation for Walsh written by Stanford Coach Glenn “Pop” Warner.

The documentation of Walsh’s political career includes campaign materials, a 1960 telegram from Lyndon B. Johnson, a 1968 letter from Ramsey Clark, and invitations for Walsh to the 1960 and 1964 Presidential Inaugurations.

Materials include letters, telegrams, newspaper clippings, books, magazines, ephemera, certificates, report cards, postcards, certificates, speeches, political posters, political fliers, invitations, programs, wills, eulogies, tickets stubs, tickets, and diplomas.

Dates

Creation: 1914 - 2007
Creation: Majority of material found within 1925 - 1968

Creator

Walsh, Adam James, 1901-1985 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright status for collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Biographical / Historical

Born in Churchvilla, Iowa, and raised in Los Angeles, California, Adam Walsh was the captain and starting center on the undefeated 1924 University of Notre Dame Football team that was popularly known as the Four Horsemen and the Seven Mules. After leaving Notre Dame in 1925, Walsh was the head football coach at Santa Clara University (1925-1928), an assistant football coach at Yale University (1929-1933), an assistant football coach at Harvard University (1934), the head football coach at Bowdoin College (1935-1942 and 1947-1958), an assistant football coach at Notre Dame University (1944), and the head football coach of the professional Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams (1945-1946). He was inducted into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 1968.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Walsh was active in the Democratic Party in the state of Maine, representing Brunswick for two terms in the Maine House of Representatives. He served two terms as a United States Marshal, appointed by President John F. Kennedy and re-appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Walsh died on January 12, 1985, at the age of 83.